The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will collaborate with global university programs, screenwriting laboratories, and filmmaker initiatives to facilitate the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting.
LOS ANGELES, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting is an international program designed to identify and nurture talented new screenwriters. The program will now exclusively partner with global university programs, screenwriting labs, and filmmaker programs to select Nicholl fellows. Each partner will review and submit scripts for consideration for the Academy Nicholl Fellowship. Additionally, The Black List will act as a portal for public submissions. All scripts these partners submit will be read and evaluated by Academy members.
“To globalize the Academy and strengthen our relationships with educational partners across the U.S. and internationally, we are thrilled to enhance the Nicholl Fellowships program. This evolution will foster a deeper connection with universities, screenwriting labs, and filmmaker programs, tapping into their impressive pool of emerging talent,” said Howard Berger, Academy governor and president of the Academy Foundation Board. “Our commitment to discovering and supporting new voices is stronger than ever, and I am grateful to my fellow Academy members for dedicating their time and expertise to this mission.”
Nicholl Fellows receive support from the Academy and mentorship from an Academy member during their fellowship year. They participate in a week of virtual seminars, have a chance to meet virtually with the Nicholl Fellowships committee and attend in-person networking events. Additionally, fellows benefit from ongoing career advancement support through the Gold Alumni Program, which offers continued access to opportunities, professional development, and education for alumni of the Academy’s talent development programs.
Nicholl program partners for 2025 include:
American Film Institute
Australian Film Television and Radio School
Bangkok University
Berlin International Film Festival
The Black List
California Institute of the Arts
California State University, Los Angeles
CAPE
Chapman University
Columbia University
Edinburgh Napier University
Gold House
Howard University
IFFR Pro
Latino Film Institute
London Film School
Loyola Marymount University
New York University
Northwestern University
RMIT University
Savannah College of Art and Design
Sundance Institute
Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto Metropolitan University
Universidad del Cine
University of Arts London
University of California, Los Angeles
University of Cape Town
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
University of Oxford
University of Texas at Austin
Urbanworld Festival
Victoria University of Wellington
Submissions for the Academy’s partner script program will open in late July, and the submission deadline will be in late August. Nicholl fellows will be announced in the spring of 2026.
Fellowships are awarded with the expectation that recipients will complete feature-length screenplays during their fellowship year. The Academy does not acquire any rights to the works of Nicholl fellows and does not engage commercially with their completed scripts in any way.
Source: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
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